To enable cheats on a Minecraft Bedrock dedicated server, change allow-cheats=false to allow-cheats=true in server.properties, save the file, and restart the server. Cheats alone do not make you an administrator: grant your authenticated account operator status with op YourGamertag from the server console, or add your XUID to permissions.json.
Godlike.Host offers hosted Minecraft Bedrock servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
Use permission list in the console to confirm the live operator list. Back up the world first if achievements matter, because enabling cheats disables achievements for that world. An operator entry also does not bypass a separate allowlist.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What you are changing
Bedrock servers use two separate controls. The allow-cheats setting permits commands that require cheats, while operator status determines which authenticated players can administer the server. Both controls matter if you want to run commands in-game.
- Cheats: The
allow-cheatsproperty defaults tofalse. Set it totrueand restart the server. - Operator status: Grant it with the console’s
opcommand or by adding an operator object keyed to the player’s XUID inpermissions.json. - Allowlist: This is a separate admission control. An account can be an operator and still be unable to join when an allowlist is enabled but does not contain that account.
The property name and syntax are documented in this Bedrock server-properties reference. Hosting panels generally expose the same setting through a web form instead of requiring a direct file edit.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
Before you enable cheats
Back up the world and configuration
Enabling cheats disables achievements on the affected world. If preserving achievement progress is important, make a copy of the world before changing the setting. Also back up server.properties, permissions.json, and any panel configuration so you can restore a known-good state.
Confirm which server you are editing
Make sure you have the files for the Bedrock server that hosts the world you intend to change. A machine can contain multiple server directories, and a hosted panel can expose several instances. The correct server.properties is the one in the server’s own data directory, alongside files such as permissions.json and the world folders.
Recommended Free Tools
Plan a restart window
Changing server.properties requires a server restart before the running process reads the new value. Warn connected players, stop the server cleanly when possible, make the edit, and start it again. Do not assume that saving a panel field changed an already-running process.
Method 1: edit server.properties on a self-hosted server
- Stop the Bedrock server. Use the server control you normally use to shut it down cleanly.
- Open
server.properties. Use a plain-text editor. Do not use a word processor that adds formatting. - Find the cheats property. Locate the line
allow-cheats=false. If the file already has the property, change only its value. - Set it to true. The finished line must be exactly
allow-cheats=true, with no quotation marks. - Save the file. Keep the property name, lowercase value, and equals sign intact. Do not create a second
allow-cheatsline. - Start or restart the server. The setting is not active until the server process has loaded the edited file.
Several Bedrock administration guides describe this same edit-and-restart sequence, including the cheats configuration walkthrough and this Bedrock server procedure.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Method 2: enable cheats in a hosting panel
Panels use different layouts, but the underlying setting is still allow-cheats. The exact labels may be “Server Properties,” “Configuration,” “Gameplay,” or “Cheats.”
- Open the panel for the correct Bedrock server.
- Stop the server if the panel requires it before changing configuration.
- Open the server-properties or gameplay settings page.
- Find the cheats option or the
allow-cheatsfield and set it to true or Enabled. - Save the configuration.
- Start or restart the server from the panel.
If the panel displays a raw properties editor, enter allow-cheats=true exactly as you would in the file. If it offers a switch, check the generated value after saving when the panel provides a view of the file. A panel can save a setting successfully while the old server process continues running, so the restart remains essential.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Grant yourself operator status with the console
Use the online-player route
The quickest route is to join the server with the Microsoft account you want to administer, then issue the operator command from the server console. This method is described in the operator setup guide and the Bedrock admin setup instructions.
- Start the server with
allow-cheats=truealready loaded. - Join the server using the account that should receive operator permissions. The player must be online when you use this route.
- Open the server console, not the in-game chat.
- Enter
op YourGamertag, replacingYourGamertagwith the player’s exact gamertag. Do not add a leading slash in the console. - Wait for the console to report the permission change, then verify it with
permission list.
In-game commands use a leading slash, so the same distinction matters when you test permissions later: type commands such as /gamemode creative in chat, but type op YourGamertag and permission list without a slash in the server console.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Why the command can fail
An op command can fail or have no useful effect when cheats are still disabled, when the gamertag is mistyped, or when the account is not authenticated as expected. Confirm the server restarted after the property edit and that the player is actually connected before trying again. Xbox Live authentication is particularly important when the server needs to associate the account with its XUID.
Grant operator status through permissions.json
Directly editing permissions.json gives you an explicit, file-based operator entry. Use this route when you need to add an account by XUID or when you cannot keep the player online while issuing op.
Find the player’s XUID
- Start the server and join once with the Microsoft account that should become an operator.
- Open the server directory’s
logs/latest.logfile after the join. - Find the log line that contains the player’s name and XUID. The XUID is a 16-digit identifier tied to the Microsoft account.
- Copy the XUID exactly. Do not substitute a gamertag, email address, or another player’s identifier.
The XUID and log-file workflow is covered in this Bedrock operator guide and this Bedrock player-opping reference. The account must be authenticated so the server can associate the XUID with the player.
Insert the operator object
- Stop the server before editing the file so it does not overwrite your changes.
- Open
permissions.jsonin a plain-text editor. - Keep the outer square brackets. They contain an array of permission objects.
- Add an object using the operator permission and the copied XUID.
- Save the file, then start or restart the server.
A minimal file for one operator is:
[{"permission":"operator","xuid":"1234567890123456"}]Replace the example number with the real 16-digit XUID. If the array already contains an entry, separate objects with a comma:
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
[{"permission":"operator","xuid":"1111111111111111"},{"permission":"operator","xuid":"2222222222222222"}]Preserve straight quotation marks, colons, commas, braces, and brackets. Do not add comments inside JSON. The permissions-file instructions show the same operator-object format.
Recover from a JSON parse error
If the server reports Failed to parse permissions.json, stop it and inspect the file character by character. The usual causes are a missing comma between objects, an extra comma before the closing bracket, mismatched braces or brackets, typographic quotation marks, or an XUID placed outside quotation marks. Restore the backup if you cannot identify the mistake, then add one valid object at a time.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Verify that cheats and operator permissions are active
Check the console permission list
Run:
permission listThe command prints the live operator list and the entries represented in permissions.json. Check that the intended account or XUID appears. If it does not, confirm that you edited the active server directory and restarted after saving.
Test from inside the game
Join with the same account shown in the permission list and run a command that requires operator access, using the slash in chat. For example:
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
/gamemode creativeIf the command is rejected, do not immediately rewrite the JSON. First check that the account currently online is the one you granted, that allow-cheats=true is loaded, and that the server was restarted after configuration changes.
Check the server log
The latest log is useful for confirming joins, XUIDs, startup configuration errors, and permission-file parsing failures. Inspect logs/latest.log immediately after a test so you are looking at the current startup rather than an older run.
Operator status is not an allowlist entry
An allowlist controls who may connect; operator permissions control what an authenticated player may administer after connecting. They are independent. An account listed as an operator in permissions.json can still be refused at the connection stage if the server’s allowlist is enabled and that account is not listed.
If you can grant operator status but cannot join, open the server’s allowlist controls and add the same authenticated account or XUID there. Verify both lists separately. Do not remove operator permissions to solve an allowlist problem, and do not assume an allowlist change grants administrative powers.
This separation is explained in the Bedrock allowlist and permissions reference.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Commands remain unavailable after editing the file | The server was not restarted, or the wrong server directory was edited. | Stop and start the intended instance, then confirm the active server.properties contains allow-cheats=true. |
op YourGamertag is rejected |
Cheats are still false, the player is offline, the gamertag is wrong, or authentication did not complete. | Join with the intended account, check the exact gamertag, confirm the loaded property, and run the command without a slash in the console. |
permission list does not show the new operator |
The file was edited while the server was running, the JSON is in another instance, or the server has not restarted. | Stop the server, verify the path, save a valid file, restart, and run the list command again. |
Failed to parse permissions.json |
Invalid JSON punctuation or quotation marks. | Restore the backup or correct commas, braces, brackets, and quotes. Keep each operator object inside the outer array. |
| The operator cannot connect | An enabled allowlist does not contain the account. | Add the authenticated account through the server’s allowlist controls; operator status does not bypass this check. |
| Achievements disappeared for the world | Cheats were enabled for that world. | Restore the pre-change world backup if retaining achievement progress is more important than using cheats. |
Choosing between the two operator methods
| Route | Best for | Requirements | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
op YourGamertag in the console |
Quickly granting access while the player is online | The server must be running, the player must be connected, and the account must authenticate. | A mistyped name, disabled cheats, or an unauthenticated session can make the command fail. |
Edit permissions.json |
Managing an explicit operator entry by XUID | One prior join to discover the XUID, file access, valid JSON, and a restart. | A malformed file can trigger a parse error and prevent the server from reading permissions. |
For a one-time setup, the console command is usually less error-prone. For documented, file-based administration, the XUID entry is clearer because it does not depend on matching a gamertag at the moment you edit the file.
Safe operating practices after enabling cheats
- Keep a dated backup of the world before enabling cheats or changing permission files.
- Limit operator status to accounts you trust; an operator can use powerful commands that affect players and the world.
- When editing configuration, change one file at a time and record whether you restarted afterward.
- Use
permission listafter an operator change and compare the result with the account that is actually joining. - When troubleshooting, preserve the exact error text from the console or
logs/latest.log; parse errors and connection refusals point to different controls.
Complete setup checklist
- Back up the world if achievements or rollback capability matter.
- Open the active Bedrock server’s
server.properties. - Set
allow-cheats=true. - Save and restart the server.
- Join with the Microsoft account that should administer the server.
- Run
op YourGamertagin the console without a leading slash, or add the account’s 16-digit XUID topermissions.json. - Restart after a file-based permission edit.
- Run
permission listin the console. - Test an operator command in-game with a leading slash.
- If joining fails, inspect the allowlist separately from the operator list.
Once the property is loaded, the account is authenticated, and the operator list verifies correctly, cheats are enabled for the world and the designated player can use the server’s administrative commands.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
